CSIRO disputes Gladstone dredging linked to fish disease

By William Rollo
Tue 16 Apr 2013, 12:26 PM AEST

The CSIRO has disagreed with a report that links dredging in the Gladstone Harbour to outbreaks of fish disease.

In January, veterinary pathologist Dr Matt Landos prepared a report saying the massive dredging program under way in the Gladstone Harbour is directly to blame for the disease outbreaks affecting local marine life.

It is being used by local commercial fishermen in a class action compensation claim against the Gladstone Ports Corporation.

But a CSIRO report commissioned by the Gladstone Port Authority has found major flaws in Dr Landos' assessment.

It says the reported data on dissolved metal concentrations in the harbour only marginally exceed Australian water quality guidelines and are below levels that are toxic to fish.

It also says Dr Landos' report failed to account for the environmental effects caused by stormwater run-off during the 2011 floods.